A Hetalia Story: Germany (Ludwig) OC
by ConstellationCat
Summary: My first FanFiction! Hurray! This story is about the high school life of Ludwig and my OC, Karen! At Sir Peverell's Academy of the Gifted, Ludwig and Karen meet, and romance ensues. Enjoy! (About 99.9999 % sure there will be nothing filthy or explicit, so... yeah.)


Ludwig + OC by Me

Hi there! I'm Constellation Cat, and I'm new to FanFiction. This is my first story, about my OC (Karen) and her encounters with the Hetalia Character, Ludwig Beilschmidt (Germany)! It's romantic and sappy, so just take a seat, relax, and let the fanfiction unfold! (The story will take place in a highschool, so all you kids get to have something to relate to!)

~ \(^u^)/ ~

LUDWIG'S POV:

It was the beginning of a new school year at Sir Peverell's Academy for The Gifted, and Ludwig Beilschmidt was already settling in for another year of what he had experienced in the last. He trudged heavily through the corridors, meandering through a book he had brought with him for the long car ride up to the school. Ludwig didn't even bother looking up to acknowledge the "hellos" thrown at him. He already knew who had said what, as there were very, very rarely new arrivals. The school was highly selective and competitive about its students, so Ludwig saw the same old faces he had encountered in the previous year, and wasn't going to waste any time working out formalities.

Ludwig pried open the door to his classroom, "Eleven A", where all of his classes for the next year would be held, except lunches, which would be taken to the cafeteria. He looked out the window and saw that a storm was brewing and by the looks of it, it was going to be a big one. Working his way through the classroom, Ludwig bobbed his head in vague recognition to the various wavers and greeters he met along the way to his desk. While on the path back, Ludwig raised his head for a mere moment and sighed as he went to go deal with a problem.

There, close to the window, was the boy who had viciously picked on all the other students last term, Gilbert, who was, in all sadness, actually Ludwig's brother. Gilbert was harassing some poor girl that Ludwig had forgotten the name of, so he went over and smacked his brother over the head with his copy of "Advanced Engineering", the engineering textbook he had been flipping through.

"Ow, ow, ow! Bruder, what was that for?" Gilbert cried, rubbing the sore spot on his head where the book had made contact.

"For picking on this girl, zat's vat! Girls don't like predators, ven will you learn zis?"

Ludwig scowled at his brother, daring him to counter him and provoke another walloping. Ludwig spoke with a heavy German accent, highlighting his German upbringing and contrasting it to his brother's Prussian life and accented speech.

"But this girl does, don't you? She thinks I'm awesomely sexy, no?" He gestured towards the girl, whose face had lit up with a red glow so powerful she might've been choking on something. Gilbert leaned in closer and bared his teeth, trying to appear seductive but instead frightening the girl further. The girl let out a tiny, almost imperceptible scream and screeched her desk as far away from Gilbert as possible.

"Great, bruder. Now you've busted up any chance I had with that chicka! You suck," Gilbert moaned, gloomily bumping his way over to his desk.

Threat dealt with, Ludwig progressed slowly back to the seat he had sat in for many a year at this academy. With a name like "Sir Peverell's Academy for The Gifted", you'd think that someone like his brother would not be able to attend. But no, seeing as how their uncle worked on the administration board, they were BOTH allowed to attend. Nevertheless, Ludwig enjoyed his education and was happy with his life. No changes need be made, no friends gathered, no social interaction- just him, his machines and himself.

Ludwig reopened the engineering book he had been enjoying and flipped to the chapter about automobiles, smoothing his bright blond hair down when he heard the heavy classroom door open.

_How odd, _He thought.

_Everyone from last year is here, and the teacher is already here too... _

He paused, looked up and scanned the classroom.

There was the teacher, Mr. Neeman, stacking his papers and books on his desk, organizing everything for the day to come.

There were the twenty students, Gilbert and Easily-Forgotten-Girl included, the same twenty highschoolers as the year just passed, all talking loudly about their summers and vacations and just generally chittering excitedly.

Then the door gently, delicately opened to reveal a young girl's face peeking out, shyly, from behind the great wooden frame.

Ludwig sat up straighter, and the class went silent. Mr. Neeman turned in his chair, pushing his spectacles up his angular nose with one bony finger so as to get a better look.

"Excuse me," a small, quiet voice let itself into the room.

"I hate to bother anyone, but is this room, urm..." The noise of folding paper went through the room as the mysterious girl unfolded a sheet of paper to reveal the room she was meant to go to.

"Uhm, is this 'Eleven A'? That's my new classroom."

"Yes, it is. Welcome." Mr. Neeman stood up abruptly and opened the door, ushering the girl in and staring at her as she stood nervously staring about the room.

The girl's hair was a dark brown and set into two plaits that doubled back into one. Two barrettes held her curly bangs to her head. She was dressed in the school uniform, but whereas most girls kept the buttons of their jackets undone, the top button of their shirts also free and their ties loose, this particular specimen kept them neatly and orderly done. Her black and red-lined jacket looked well fitted on her particular shape, and the red and black houndstooth of the skirt went well with her complexion.

Ludwig found himself staring and shifted his eyes back to his book but read not a single word. He frequently looked up from the pages to see the girl shift nervously from foot to foot, speaking in hushed tones with Mr. Neeman. After about five minutes, the girl turned around and Mr. Neeman cleared his throat, catching the attention of the now silent class.

"Ahem, um, class", he spoke, clearly confused about the new arrival.

"This is, ah," breaking his concentration, Mr. Neeman turned to the girl and asked her what her name was. The girl whispered it inaudibly and Mr. Neeman faced the class again.

"This is Karen Harkens. She has just transferred her from a school in England."

A murmur rose from the class at this, and a brown haired boy who had been snoozing in the back popped out of his chair and let out a rather loud "VE!" This captured the girl's attention, and, upon seeing her face, the boy hollered,

"SHE'S PRETTY, VE!"

The girl turned away, and blushed a deep red. When she turned, her eyes fell on Ludwig and suddenly, she ran from the room.

KAREN'S POV:

_God in Heaven, protect me in this new venture._ , Karen thought to herself as she held tight to her schoolbag. She stood at the gates to Sir Peverell's Academy for The Gifted, her eyes darting from magnificent feature to magnificent feature, soaking the wonder in along with a little bit of rain. She had been transferred her from her home in England due to... what could be called exceptional circumstances. Karen was not suited for the average life, and while she had loved her school, she was not receiving the education she needed. She had received and IQ test in eight grade and the results seemed to point down a different path. After skipping two grades to try and reach the level of challenge she needed, Karen was scouted by Sir Peverell's to make a name for herself.

And now she stood at the gates, her parents having dropped her off with many a tear shed by her mother, nervously awaiting the security guard to come back with her escort that would lead her to her classroom. She tugged anxiously at the black stockings she wore as part of her uniform- her mother had wanted her to go bare-legged, but Karen would hear none of it.

"Modesty, mother. MODESTY." Karen had reprimanded her mother, who was surprisingly childish for a forty two year old woman. Karen's mother, a toy shop owner, had tried to get her to unbutton her coat and loosen her tie claiming that Karen had "nothing to hide. You're too pretty for all this uptight clothing!"

"Mother, please." Karen's voice had a basic American tone but with frequent touches of her English side flitting in and out, and so carried a good deal of potency when she was speaking with her family.

"But Kaaaareeen bugggg..." Her mother whinged, resigning herself and accepting the maturity of her daughter, but still trying to cover for it.

"Mother, I have to go now. Lateness is likely NOT tolerated at a school such as this one, and especially not on the first day! Up and at 'em!"

Karen had smoothly slid past her mother, exuding confidence. But that was only when she was home, only when she was queen of this domain. She knew these people could never abandon her even if she cried "I'm awesome!" every two seconds, so she felt safe. But deep inside, she was unsettled and nervous. Everything was different and impossible to predict, and now- now, she was off to a very foreign palace indeed, where a new king or queen may be ruling.

Karen now snapped out of her memory as she saw a rather handsome but surly young man being led by the security guard to her. He had an outstanding curl bouncing about on his head as he walked, and his hair was a dark, shiny brown.

"Hey. My name is Romano, and I'll walk you to class. Get moving." The thick gates that had been blocking Karen from the school now slid back and she walked in with Romano.

"Turn here." Romano signalled with his hand and Karen turned down a stone corridor in the courtyard, quietly following him.

After a while, they came to room Eleven A and Romano stopped walking.

"This is it, end of the line, everybody out." He turned promptly and walked off without another word.

_Goodness, what a grouch. Clearly I should avoid him, _Karen thought.

She leaned close to the dark, solid wood doors dividing her from her future. She pressed her ear to the wood, trying to pick up any sort of sound that would help her identify what to expect. Doing so made the door creak and Karen was repelled from the door. Her hand shot to her pocket, where she found a piece of paper.

Curious, Karen unfolded the note to discover a message left by both of her parents. The paper read:

_Dear Karen,_

_I'm proud of you._

_Dad. _

That was Dad for you- succinct, to the point, meaningful.

Then, below that message was one scrawled by her doting but lovably odd mother.

_Karen bug,_

_It's me, mommy! I'm so super happy you got into this fancy school! Do you remember what room you're in? ELEVEN A. Say it with me, Eleven A! Anyways, remember to eat a healthy lunch and make lots of friends! And if you get a boy, that'd be nice too. _

_Love you!_

_(PS We're out of milk, can you sneak some from the cafeteria? I joke, I joke. But seriously, we are out of milk.)_

_MOMMY_

Karen chuckled softly and put the note back in her pocket. Her courage restored, Karen gently pushed open the door to the new palace, where kings and queens were bound to be found. She looked in, and suddenly the room was silent. All eyes on her.

Karen had known the school rarely received transfer students, that's how elite it was, but she hadn't counted on this. It was as though she were a lime green alien that was gooing onto the floor, dripping with ectoplasm.

She slid quietly into the classroom and spoke with the teacher for a few moments. She stood nervously, knowing all eyes were on her, and tried to seem casual but to no avail.

After what felt like years, Karen's name was announced. A boy who looked strangely like Romano but gave off a completely different aura sat up and cried out "SHE'S PRETTY, VE!"

Karen went a deep red and felt her face grow hot with the blood running to her cheeks. She turned away and locked eyes with a boy looking over a copy of "Advanced Engineering". She was instantly entranced by everything about him. His eyes were a piercing blue that shocked her to her core. His hair was a vivid blond that oddly attracted her, despite her usual aversion to blonds of either sex. His body was built strong and muscular, and his face was serious. But currently is was formed into some strange expression she couldn't quite read.

Her face flushed even deeper and her heart felt overwhelmed.

_Oh, Lord, please, just let it end! Make them stop staring at me! Make **me** stop feeling so weird! _

Then her body went into impulse mode and she fled the room.

LUDWIG'S POV:

"What just happened?" Uproar from the class. There was shouting and laughing and questions buzzing every which way, bouncing off the walls and into the ears of the teacher. Mr. Neeman contacted the front desk and asked for a five minute suspension on the bell for the beginning of the school day.

Ludwig got up very suddenly and tore to the other side of the classroom and picked up the boy who had called out, a chump called Feliciano Vargas, by the collar and looked him square in the eye (although they were barely visible to Ludwig). Feliciano did not react well to this and began spurting nonsense and struggling to release himself from Ludwig's grasp.

"WHY. DID YOU SAY. ZAT?" Ludwig growled between clenched teeth, glaring at the weak little Italian. Again, Ludwig was confused about how such a goob could've gotten into such and elite academy, but that wasn't the point.

"Hey, I canna lie about pretty ladies, no? She was pretty! Not super pretty but kinda pretty, lika dis one girl..." Feliciano was about to start rambling about some girl he met somewhere that he had tried to catch but was interested when Ludwig started pressing harder on his throat.

"ZAT. IS A HORRIBLE THING TO SAY. SHE WAS VERY-" Ludwig caught himself before anything further slipped from his mouth and set Feliciano down, who was weeping and kissing the ground. The rest of the class, including Mr. Neeman, had ignored this minor outbreak of violence as it was both the norm to have the living snot beaten out of Feliciano (he was annoying as anything) and they were too busy gossiping about what might've set the new girl off.

Mr. Neeman called for silence and the room became more hushed, but some residual talking remained.

"We need a search party in order. I'll have security watch the tapes and contact me when they see where she's gone, but until then we need three students who are willing to help me look for her the old fashioned way."

Several students began talking at that, and Ludwig walked silently up to Mr. Neeman.

He spoke quietly so that only Mr. Neeman could hear him. "Sir," Ludwig spoke, in a voice nearing a whisper "I would be willing to help. I will go find two ozers who will help too."

Mr. Neeman nodded and signaled that Ludwig should go. He moved in the crowd and went over to the desk of Kiku, a Japanese genius who had sat silently through this whole ordeal.

"Kiku." Ludwig spoke but one word and Kiku nodded his assent.

_Two down, one to go. _Ludwig thought.

He scanned the classroom, looking for one more trustworthy assistant, and his eyes fell on another calm boy, Ivan. Ivan sat in the back of the classroom, giggling to himself about the chaos swirling about the room. Ludwig locked eyes with him, and Ivan nodded too, silently agreeing to join the party.

_At least they too are men of few words._ Ludwig was pleased as he walked to the door, signaled to the other two boys, and stepped out.

"Ja, danke. Now ve need a plan to find her."

"I sink we should go to the ribrary." Kiku spoke first, his thick Japanese accent not masking what he was saying but making it harder to discern.

"I agree wis Kiku." Ivan nodded after this, but Ludwig spoke up.

"Ze library?"

"She seemed to be the bookish type." Kiku responded. His comment was both logical and completely baseless.

"Alright, ze library it is."

And so the three boys headed off, one with thoughts of destruction in his head, one with tuna in his, and one with concern boiling up inside.

KAREN'S POV:

Curled under a dusty desk in a far corner of the expansive library which had suddenly fallen into darkness, Karen hugged her knees and wept.

_First day of school and I'm a freak. I'm so weird, I should never have come here. Why was I born? I'm such a shame, I should just live under here forever. I'll wither away and die eventually, right? _

Karen rubbed tiredly at her eyes, trying to smudge away the hot tears that were burning her already overheated face. She reached into her pocket to touch the note that her parents had left, only to find a horribly empty pocket. Karen's heart sank and she realized she should just get it over with and kick the bucket. Karen curled tighter under the table, hoping to suffocate when she heard the heavy, gigantic doors to the huge library flow open.

A deep German voice asked the librarian if she had seen anyone. After two minutes, the voice called out again and told others to spread out and comb through the library.

Karen heard footsteps and didn't know what to do.

_Am I in trouble?_ She wondered, startled and concerned. _Are they coming to kick me out of the school? Should I go hide somewhere else?_

Karen played through various scenarios in her mind, ranging from a simple reprimand to complete expulsion and banishment from any sort of school anywhere. She was still playing through these horrors when she heard a voice calling to her.

"Karen." A thick German accent announced her name, powerfully but quietly. Suddenly the desk was lifted straight up and moved, allowing Karen's deep brown eyes that were red and swollen from crying to view before her stood the boy from earlier, the blond, blue eyed boy who looked so strong and had just proved himself to be so.

He went down onto his knees next to her and sat looking at her for a moment. Then a peal of thunder broke and the power went out. Karen could hear screams from other rooms in the school, and her own body made a noise she had never known she could make. A tiny, stifled scream went out and she wrapped herself up in her arms and leg, horribly frightened. Just as she was starting to coil up, however, a strong hand took hers and pulled in towards a body. Muscular arms covered Karen and she became locked in a tight embrace with the blond boy, whom she could not see.

Thunder clanged again, and her body shook with fear. Her body tried to escape the boy's grasp, without the consent of her mind, but each time that thunder sounded and Karen's body repulsed, the boy held her tighter. Karen's fear of thunderstorms was no match for the boy's tremendous strength, and his touch made her feel safer. In the darkness, in the fear, she was safe.

She worked her face so that it was facing up at the boy's and she could see him looking down at her, concern painted into the strong features of his face.

"Who are you?" She asked, so quietly that if the boy hadn't been listening to her and her alone he wouldn't have heard anything.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt."

A strike of lightning lit up the dark room and Karen could see the blue eyes again. Those neon, icy eyes that made her heart leap were locked on her face.

They'd only known each other for about and hour, and barely that, but Karen trusted him immensely. So she stopped resisting the hug and collapsed into the safety, warmed by his presence. Her body was so tired from the exhausting day, so she fell asleep almost instantly, tangled up in embarrassment and deep eyes.

LUDWIG'S POV:

Ludwig had nervously paced the hallways outside the library for a moment, much to his companion's confusion.

_Did I do something? She ran out when she saw me... Is she scared of me? Maybe she doesn't like how I look... Oh, Mein Gott, I hope I don't look too awful..._

_"_Ludwig, what's wrong? You sick?" Kiku spoke gently, looking concernedly at Ludwig and his incessant pacing.

"I think I know what's happening here..." Ivan chuckled and slid his hands into his pockets.

"Wah? What's happening, Ivan-san?" Kiku begged, confused, but Ivan kept chuckling and opened the library door.

Ludwig asked the librarian if she had seen a girl pass through.

"Well, if I recall properly, I did. She was headed towards the World History section. I remember because nobody ever goes back there these days, what with the inter-whatchamacalllits these days. Did you know that in 1923..."

The old woman began to ramble, and for about two minutes Ludwig tolerated it.

_She's old, after all. Let her have SOME fun. If this is what she calls fun..._

After the two minute mark, Ludwig calmly explained he must leave, and directed the others to scan the whole library.

"The old lady might be confused, so I want Ivan to check out children's books, and Kiku, you head to foreign languages."

Though to some this may have sounded logical, Ludwig had other drive to send them away. He didn't want either of them to get close to Karen, for some strange and unapparent reason. It turned his stomach to think of them holding her hand and leading her back to the classroom, either one of them consoling her made his heart burn with jealousy.

He slapped himself and whispered "Get it together..." before heading off to the World History section.

After what felt like hours of searching, he found a dusty desk in a sun dappled corner of the room where a body was curled underneath, wracked with sobs. He stepped slowly towards the table and bent over, looking underneath.

His usual cold eyes rested on the reddened face of Karen, her eyes swollen from the many tears she had recently shed. His heart broke seeing her in the lowly state. He saw her and spoke gently, "Karen".

Without thinking he lifted the table off of her and stood it away from her. Her eyes closed, Karen was huddled under the table, her body shaking with fear.

Ludwig's heart broke and he bent down of his knees to look at her better. He wanted to reach out and touch her, to get closer, but he feared that he would seem to forward. He was about to say something when the power went out and darkness engulfed the two of them.

He heard Karen let out a small scream and knew in that moment he couldn't let her sit there alone. Despite his inhibitions and fear, Ludwig took her hand and pulled her close to him. Admittedly, a few not-so-innocent thoughts flew through his mind. He blushed deeply and put his arms around her, shooing away the ideas in his head and focusing on the girl. Karen shook uncontrollably with each violent clash of thunder. Ludwig looked at her and tightened his hold to keep her secure. It occurred to him that she had a fear of thunderstorms, and his heart melted further.

_Karen, I'm sorry if I'm what's making you afraid. _

"Who are you?" Karen asked, looking up into his eyes.

"Ludwig. Beilschmidt." Ludwig replied, his heart beating a million miles an hour.

_Karen... _He thought. _What a beautiful name. It so perfectly matches those eyes, those lovely... _ He stopped himself, embarrassed, and turned away. Karen's body slowly, slowly relaxed and Ludwig realized she had fallen asleep in his arms.

He looked at her tired face and the streams on her cheeks where the tears had fallen. But he also saw how relaxed she had become.

_You must trust me deeply to sleep next to me._ Ludwig thought. Another less than innocent thought darted through his mind and it was all he could do not to lean down and kiss her while she slept. He shifted her weight onto his arms and laid her head on his knee, allowing one free hand to reach out. For a moment, he felt it making a path to her face, the face he knew would be so soft and warm, but he stopped himself midway.

_It's bad enough that you're letting this girl use you as a human pillow after one day of knowing her, Ludwig. No more._

Ludwig grunted to himself and averted his eyes so as not to try again when he felt Karen stirring. Her face contorted with fear and Ludwig could see her eyes moving fast under the lids. He knew this look well, as he had experienced it many times himself- the face of someone suffering from a nightmare. Had she really been asleep long enough for a dream to begin forming? Karen's hands struck out now, and her voice whimpered.

_She must be hearing the thunder in her nightmare..._ Ludwig thought, his blue eyes becoming filled with minor panic. He turned his body to face her and went against his better judgement, taking her hand in his, then squeezing it gently but firmly. Her body stopped convulsing for a moment, and Ludwig took advantage of the calmness to bend down to her level and listen to her breathing.

In, out. In, out. It was odd how interested Ludwig was in this girl. He shouldn't be, but he was. After all, what did he know about her? Nothing other than her name and fear of thunder. But he continued to listen to the gentle breaths taken by this new, mysterious girl who had captivated him.

_There's no place to go but up, Ludwig. _

He thought this as he delicately laid his hand down on Karen's cheek and stroked it with the side of his thumb.

"You're safe now."

KAREN'S POV:

Karen was dreaming, asleep in Ludwig's arms.

_His name is Ludwig... I like it. It's a smooth and strong and different kind of name..._

Karen didn't stop herself this time. She let herself be taken in by his name.

In the dream, they were holding hands in the library as she stood on a precarious pile of books, while he stood on a tower of chairs, just taller than she.

"Ludwig, where are you?" She cried, as the room went dark. She fell down, screaming, and thunder began to boom through the dream. She could feel her real, physical body convulse as she screamed, falling further and further. She didn't know when she would hit bottom and figured she would die in the horrible clutches of the storm when a strong grasp engulfed her and held her tighter than she had ever been held.

"Mom? Dad?" Karen spoke softly as the touch moved to her face, a feeling like that of a gentle breeze brushing her cheek. She thought it might be one of her loving parents come to save her from the monsters in her mind when from the darkness walked Ludwig, holding in his hands the book she had seen him reading earlier.

"What?" She looked into his eyes and was stunned by the beauty of the sharp blue they were made of. Like sea glass, a summer sky or freezing ice they glowed blue.

Wordlessly, Ludwig moved towards her and the space around her morphed from black terror to a golden ballroom. She now wore a deep navy ballgown, and he wore a suit that fit him perfectly, highlighting his strong body. He took her hand without so much as a "how do you do" and swept her across the room, moving from corner to corner, flitting musically between the other couples, all the while holding her tight.

_Strange,_ Karen thought, _How often I think of the strength in his embrace. Is that weird? Maybe I really, really like that about him..._

Dream Ludwig cleared his throat and looked Karen in the face, blushing again.

"I'm going to protect you. Now and for always."

Then it was Karen's turn to blush. The song ended and they parted ways and the world began to fade. Karen turned momentarily then awoke in the dark, still curled on Ludwig's lap.

Karen turned away, ashamed of the dream she had been having.

"I'm sorry, so sorry..." Karen mumbled, not looking at Ludwig out of fear.

"Nein. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." Ludwig didn't look at Karen either as each party pulled away from the other, secretly saddened by the lack of contact now, but doing so for the sake of the other.

"So, you're not angry?" She queried, looking shyly into his piercing eyes. Karen was about to cry, she was so embarrassed by her actions. As if the day hadn't been bad enough...

"Nein."

Both faces went a bright mauve, blushing again after so many times, but the potency was not lost. The warmth of the other's touch was still lingering on their skin.

Karen looked up as she heard thundering footsteps and two boys came running. One was clearly Asian, probably Japanese, with dull eyes who was breathing heavily, whereas the other one was a broad-nosed boy dressed in a heavy scarf with colorless hair.

"News from the Director!" the Japanese boy huffed, exhausted from running, his accent confusing some of the words.

"Vhat? Vaht is it?" Ludwig looked to the scarfed boy, who was, oddly enough, perfectly fine. He breathed out, then said,

"We told the Director about Karen's little upset, and he sat real quiet for a while before announcing that Karen will not be taking regular classes," he paused, taking a short breath while Karen and Ludwig were on the edges of their seats.

"And she'll be pretty much homeschooled here. But she can choose one classmate to be her tutor and guide for the rest of the year." Scarfy finished, a smirk on his face.

"So, how about it, Karen? I'll be your tutor?" He leaned in close, and the Japanese boy looked puzzled. Apparently, this was strange for the Russian one. He puckered his lips and leaned in to touch Karen's cheek with them when WHAM, Ludwig's fist collided with his face.

The Russian recoiled, and the Japanese boy shouted. The scarfed one giggled, stepping back into the hands of the dull eyed Japanese boy, and Karen screamed. When Ludwig had pummeled the other boy, he had stepped in front of Karen reflexively, protecting her with his arm. Karen touched it delicately, and Ludwig turned to face her.

"Why did you do that?" She asked, fearful.

"He vas going to take advantage of you. I could not allow this." Ludwig blushed and so did Karen. She secretly thought it was enormously attractive but kept silent.

"LUDWIG." The Japanese boy was angry.

"That was bad of Ivan, but you shourd not hit. Both of you, aporogize."

"No. He was trying to harass this innocent girl." Ludwig had not lowered his arm, and Karen could hear his fast, heavy breathing. Once again, she reached out to lay her hand on the strength of his arm, only to recoil at the cold she felt. She looked into his face and saw all the kindness gone- he was angry and bloodthirsty.

Slowly, with fear growing in her eyes, Karen stepped farther and father away. Ludwig turned, and expression of awakening and regret on his face as he saw Karen turn and run from him.

"No, vait!" He cried after her, attempting to follow but tripping over the well-placed foot of Ivan.

Karen ran away, more saddened tears trickling down the corners of her face.

_This is too weird, _Karen thought, blocking out the immense sadness. _I just met him and now I'm running from him._

"You said you were going to protect me..." Karen whispered through tears. It was all too strange for her to handle, and she ran all the way to the garden, out in the storming weather.

LUDWIG'S POV:

Ludwig hit the table full-force. Unsurprisingly, a crack appeared and a bold noise went through the library. Ludwig sucked in air through his teeth and tried to control himself. He looked up at the giggling Ivan and the oh-my-gawd-i'm-gonna-pee-myself Kiku with rage and stared Ivan in the face.

"VHY," through gritted teeth, "Did you. TRY. TO. KISS. HER." He glared at the face he now loathed with disgust.

"To prove a point," Ivan laughed. "You were denying things in your head. Get over it." His eyes bored into Ludwig's, and Ludwig snapped. He was about to sock him another one when he stopped, fist midair and collapsed to the ground.

"Vhat do I care if some weird girl hates me..." He muttered angrily. "I don't even know her."

"But you were petting her like a baby kitten, we saw it." Ivan chuckled, enjoying Ludwig's confusion and misery.

"That vas spur of the moment! Ve barely know eachuder, who cares." Ludwig looked down at the place where Karen's head had been resting, on his knee, and thought of why he had allowed that.

_She's too dramatic for me. So easily frightened, like a small animal... _He grumbled inside his mind, then thought of Karen dressed as a little cat and freaked out.

"NEIN." He shook his head violently, and Ivan and Kiku looked at him in amazement.

He freaked around on the floor for about twenty seconds before Kiku had to step on his stomach and calm him down.

"So...?" Ivan peered into Ludwig's face. Ludwig was red all over and sweating up a storm.

"So vhat."

"So are you going to follow her, or sit there daydreaming?" Ivan chuckled, his voice bouncing up and down with sickening mirth.

"Nein."

"Really? Because she just ran out into the rain. Go ahead, look." Ivan gestured to the window. Ludwig looked back and forth between Ivan and the window before deciding that one peek couldn't hurt.

He walked slowly to the window which looked out on the rain soaked courtyard below and saw one tiny figure running to the distant gazebo. Thunder clapped and the figure fell down. Almost unconsciously, Ludwig's arm jerked in a protective motion.

"So, how about now?" Ivan looked inquisitively into Ludwig's face. Ivan could see Ludwig's eye twitch, his mind racing.

"You're denying the truth again. Would you like me to go save her...?"

"NEIN!" Ludwig yelled without forethought. Then he covered his mouth, coughed and repeated in a lower tone, "Nein".

"Then GO!" Kiku shouted, unusual for the quiet boy. "GO!"

He shoved Ludwig past the oblivious librarian at the counter and outside.

"AND DON'T COME BACK WITHOUT HER!" Kiku hollered at Ludwig, who was now trapped in the rain outside of the school. He stood for a moment, checking the area, then ran full force after Karen.

_Dammit. Why does she always run away from me? Am I that scary?_

Ludwig's face contorted with confusion and anger as he tried his hardest to understand.

_Maybe I should leave her alone. Maybe she doesn't like me at all._

Running, running, running. Ludwig's feet hit the ground, channeling his self-hate and disappointment. Slowly, they came to a halt and dug into the ever-softening earth.

The rain was coming down in sheets, freezing Ludwig to his core, but he stood stoically, lost in deep thought. He was wandering slowly in the direction of the gazebo, still contemplating whether or not to come and rescue Karen or to forget her.

_I can't leave a girl alone in a storm outdoors, _said one half of his mind, _But I can't keep chasing her around. I'm pretty sure that's both illegal and terrifying... Gott, what do I do?_

KAREN'S POV:

_God, help me. _Karen thought as she ran from the school. _I've run away twice today. I really am going home, once and for all. _

When Karen reached the gazebo, she was shaking, dredged in water and mud from running from Ludwig. _Ludwig..._ Karen's mind thought of his enraged face, the bloodlust dancing in his eyes. She shuddered and decided with finality to call home and never come back. Karen reached into her pocket to reveal a blue flip phone. It glowed with a tiny envelope on the screen, announcing she had received an email. She tiredly opened it and gasped when she read what was held within.

_From The Director Of Sir Peverell's Academy:_

_To Ms. Harkens,_

_Two students recently informed me of your distress in the regular classroom environment. After careful consultation and thought, I have come to the conclusion that our regular system is not the correct fit for you, and we will be removing you from the cycle._

_But do not fear. You are not expelled. You are going to be the Beta tester for our new system: The advanced, single-unit education module. You will be self-educating, along with one classmate of the selected roster. You will be able to receive assistance from our staff in the designated time allotments (which will be emailed to you at a later date), but will not interact with the other classes for education._

_ABOUT BOARDING:_

_You will be allowed a suite to yourself and the student assistant you select as your companion for the year. You will learn there, eat there and sleep there. You will be allowed to leave at your leisure so long as you do not disrupt the other students and their lessons. Food will be provided 24-7, with a room service system set in place._

_You will not have a designated schedule, but will be given a list of test materials. You will be expected to receive high marks on the advanced placement testing reserved for people of a similar nature to yours._

_LIST OF APPROVED STUDENT COMPANIONS:_

_ BRAGINSKY_

_2. ROMANO VARGAS_

_3. Emma (?) (Author's note: Belgium does not yet have an official name, so Emma (?) will be used here to represent her.)_

_4. MATTHEW WILLIAMS_

_5. RODERICH EDELSTEIN_

_6. LUDWIG BEILSCHMIDT_

_Considering that all but one of the candidates are male, you will share the suite but with dividers, separate bathrooms and separate beds. We expect you to behave formally and respectfully. Should you choose Ms. Emma (?) as your companion, you will receive a different suite, but with many of the same accommodations. The same rules will apply. _

_Good day. _

_Director of Sir Peverell's_

__The words that the Ivan boy came back to Karen and she realized what he was saying. She realized what he had meant, which had before flown over her head.

_Well, he's out. And so's he... and I don't know her... or him... or him..._ Karen paused over Ludwig's name and a chill went up her spine.

_No. Never him again. _Karen was saddened, because she had just come to trust him, and now his eyes that had once made her so interested frightened her away. She thought of the million and one ways in which Ludwig could kill her- snapping her neck with his bare hands, internal hemorrhaging, violent concussion... Karen was about to delve into even worse ones when she heard another shriek of thunder, causing her hands to fly to her head and drop her phone.

Karen fell to catch it, and when she did, went to her contacts to dial her home phone number.

_Special program or not, I am going home._ Karen arrived at the contact for her home and selected it. Holding the phone close, hoping the dial tone would block out the thunder, she waited for an answer.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up..." She mumbled, her desperation growing stronger and stronger with each passing moment. Finally, she heard her mother's voice and started talking quickly.

"And then I ran away because it was awful so please let me come home..." Karen finished, only to realize her mother was still talking.

"So, in all essentially, please leave a message after the tone! Bye~!" Listening frustratedly, Karen snapped the phone shut.

_I'll just have to wait until tomorrow, then. Bet I can sleep out here... _Karen smoothed her hair and sat in the cold gazebo, staring out at the rain. She was soaked to the bone and terrified, but she'd be fine. She checked the time- 2:35. Had it really been that long? Karen sighed, resenting her decisions all day.

Then she heard the gazebo steps creak and saw Ludwig walking up them, looking down angrily. She scooted backwards, falling onto her hands. Ludwig looked up, and Karen could see he was really, truly regretting what he did.

"Karen... I just vanted to apologize to you for frightening you. And I won't keep chasing you. It's veird, I know." He spoke slowly and surely, and Karen could see that he was speaking his heart.

She stood upright and walked over to him, making him take one step back, and she stopped with about five feet between them.

"It's fine, I shouldn't have run, I mean... We don't even..." Pausing, she looked at him and he looked at her. This time neither face averted itself.

LUDWIG'S POV:

As he trudged up the steps to the gazebo, Ludwig played through what he was going to say in his head.


End file.
